Well, maybe not everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong for the Portsmouth High School football team in its opener Friday, a 58-37 loss to Trinity. But the Clippers certainly didn't envision ending the game with their third-string quarterback or allowing their most points in recent memory, most on long pass plays.

The loss spoiled Portsmouth's debut in the new Division II and the debut of new head coach Brian Pafford, a longtime assistant who eventually took over after 17-year coach Bill Murphy stepped down in March.

"Obviously, defensively, we didn't defend the pass like we should have," said Pafford. "I thought we got worn down in the end a little bit. Defending the run was OK."

In a run-first offense, Trinity quarterback Carmen Giampetruzzi had a career night, completing 11-of-15 passes for 358 yards and four touchdowns, as the Pioneers used that run early to set up the play-action pass, with devastating results.

"I don't know what (Giampetruzzi's) stats were, but they were ridiculous," said Pafford.

Running back Austin Chambers got behind the secondary to catch five passes — two for scores — and 240 yards for the Pioneers, who were penciled in among the teams to beat in Division II with Portsmouth and Plymouth.

For them, first test passed — with honors.

For the hosts, back to studying.

"It's going to be an eye-opening moment for every single kid on our team," said Portsmouth senior running back/linebacker Jake Becker. "It's just a wake-up call. We need to go out and play better. Everybody knows that now. We're not who we thought we were."

It didn't help that the two Portsmouth quarterbacks knocked out of the game in the first half with injuries — Donovan Phanor and Nate McFarland — are also two key members of the defensive secondary, at cornerback and free safety, respectively.

The Clippers also played without a pair of starting two-way senior linemen, Pat Glynn and Noah Curry, who were hampered by injuries in the preseason.

Chasing a deficit from the start, the last two grasps the Clippers had on the game came, first, when Jack Young broke off an 89-yard kickoff return for a touchdown midway through the third quarter, pulling his team within 34-23.

Giampetruzzi drove the Pioneers right back down, going 80 yards in six plays and hitting tight end Ryan Boldwin on a 20-yard seam pass to make it 42-23.

After defensive lineman Justis Mattis-Clark stuffed a fourth-and-4 at his own 44, the Clippers found some offensive rhythm, with third-string QB Connor DiCesare (9-for-14, 88 yards 2 TDs) capping a drive with a 19-yard strike to Ian MacDonald (six catches, 83 yards, 3 TDs) to make it 42-30.

But Trinity, which depressed the offensive accelerator early on, never took its foot off the gas.

"Everything is within the offense," said Trinity coach Steve Burns. "Carmen's been running the offense for three years. He understands things. He's got faith in his receivers and I've got faith in him."

The game was the first as head coach at Portsmouth for Pafford, a longtime assistant coach whose father, Jim "Sarge" Pafford — a PHS alum (Class of '59) and Vietnam veteran — passed away on Wednesday at the age of 71. A moment of silence was observed before the game.

And then the game couldn't have started much worse for the Clippers. After fumbling on their first play from scrimmage, they watched the Pioneers drive 45 yards for a score.

On the next series, Phanor was sacked by Ian Landry and had to be carried off the field, and spent the rest of the half stretched out on the bench. He watched the second half from the sideline on crutches.

The Clippers were within 22-15 late in the first half after McFarland led a long drive and hit a diving MacDonald in the end zone from 20 yards out. But Giampetruzzi found Chambers behind the defense just three plays later and it was 28-15 at the half.

McFarland took a hit late in the half, left the field with an ice pack on his neck/shoulder area and did not return to the field. Pafford said both injured quarterbacks would be evaluated Monday.

The opening-night loss will be evaluated, too.

"We had guys who made great plays and we had other guys who just didn't do their jobs, didn't do what we practiced to do and it bit us in the butt," said Becker. "We're gonna practice. It's early in the season. I'd be excited to play that team again."